Carpet stretcher



Aug 10, 1943. J. D. BARTLow CARPET STRETCHER F11-ed Aug. 41941 Patented Aug. 10, 1943 `l'ustin Bartlow, Long BeachyCalif.,.assigner .l esse C. Owens, Los Angeles',

194,1., serial No'. 405,339# 7 `romans. enfasi-962i) Application nugnstfi` Myfi-nvenftion relatesfto 'carpet stretchers of `the particulartype'covered by U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,766,423 issued to me June 24,' 1930, also U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,108,506 issued ,toJesse @.fOwensV February l5, 1938, and the principal object ofiny present invention is, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of thecarpet stretchers coveredv byu the aforesaid Apatents-as well as other similar'carpet stretchers lutilizing an extensible member formed of a pluj rality oi telescoping rods or tubes and one end of which meniberfcarries `a head from which depends to series of carpetengaging'prongs.

In Vthe construction illustrated the frame or the stretcher comprises a pair of channel bars "50, the rear" ends of which' are connected to `Veach otherand to the forward end of the larger one of'two'or moretelescopic tubes 5! and which are practically identical in construction and operation with the telescopic tubes disclosedin the hereinbefore mentioned patentsl particularly the tubes lil, `I i, i2 'and i3 in ,Patent No. 1,766,423, The forward-ends of the channel bars 50 are con nected. by a cross bar 52. `Formed integral with and projecting up- Y wardly-fromI the intermediate portions of the Further objectso my inventionlare, toprovide improved means for projecting the forward portion of the extensible member, which forward 'portion carries the pronged carpet engaging head soas to rapidly andr effectively'stretch the carpet, further, to `construct the projecting grne'ans Y so that it willfar'rtoniatioallyflock itself against v reverse` movement at the termination of the operation that `imparts forward movement tothe prong carrying head. and further, `to provide a carpet stretcher of with minimum power requirements.

f' A further object of my invention `is, to provide sirnplapraotical, and easily operated `means for adjusting the positions oftheV carpet engaging prongs with respectto the head that is carried on' "and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which: y o Y Fig. l is a topplan view of the Vcarpet stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention.,Y

. i Fig."2 is a longituidinal sectional View taken `on the line 2-2 of Fig. l with the head shown Vin "side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a` cross section taken on .the `line 3,-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an `enlarged cross section taken on f the line defoFig. l.

4Fig.

of Fig.f 4.

Fig. 6 isa cross section` taken onI the line'` -B 5 is a cross section taken on the line FeV-5,

strong 'and substantial structure and which will perform its functions channel barsfilffare short posts 53A and seated inf-the upper lends of said posts is a transverse pin or bolt B that provides a fulcrum for a Ahandle 1551.7 The opening in the forward endV of handle 55- Vthat receives vthe `fulcrum` pin 54 is in the form of a short longitudinally disposed slotE `and that portionof the forward end of the handle immediately below the forward portiton of' the slot 5'5 is cut` away to form a notch Secured' to thou-nder side of'handle 55 a short rdistancerearwardly from'its fulcrum is a depending arm- 58 andv journalled in the lower 'rear side of said arm is a'roller 5S which, when handle V55 is swung downward' into, a position substantially parallelI with the frame of the stretcher and theV telescopic tubes thereof, rides down- Wardly on the curved front face of a short arm 60 that projects upwardly from the connected rear ends of the channel bars At the lower end of the downward" swinging movement of handle 551- the roller 5d passes into a` shallow notch 6| that is formed in the lower portion of l the curved face of arm t0, thus'yieldingly re`- f taining the handle in its lowermost position.

[The head of' this form` of stretcher includes a substantially rectangular housing 62 open at its bottom and suitably secured within theupper central*portionwot'said-housing is a block 63; Formed'in the `upper portion kof this block is a notch 6, and arranged torsliding movement therein are the connected forward ends ofthe channel? bars 50.

. A plate 65. is removably `secured on top of the.

centrallportion of housingfz and provides a cover tor` thenotch Sil, and seated in recesses that aretormed in the upper and under surfaces Voftheforward.end portions of the channel bars Bilk-are anti-friction members 5S,V preferably balls, whchibear on. the. surface of the block 63 at the. bottom of notch 54' and. against the under rsideoi platea E5, thus minimizing `friction be:-

' link.

tween the head and the forward portions of the channel bars 50 upon which said head slides.

A transverse pin 61 seated in the lower end of arm 58 in front of roller 59 pivotally connects n the'rear end of a link 68 to said arm, which link extends forwardly to a point beneath the notch Elvin the forward end of handle 55 and the forward end of this link is connected by a pivot pin 69 tothe upper rear end of a shorter link iii,l the lower forward end of which is pivotally connected by a pin li to the rear central portion of block 63.

Mounted. on the ends of pivot pin 69 that con-'- vdisposed slot 'la'ior the accommodation of link 533.V

formed in the lower portions of the openings 88 through fixed plate 8 l. The normal tendency of these springs is to elevate the gauge comprising plates 85 and 86 and to yieldingly resist their downward movement.

In order to move the gauge downward so as to define the distance that the lower portions of the prongs may enter carpets of different thicknesses, a pair of wedge blocks 92 are arranged for sliding movement against the top plate of housing 62, each block having a pair of wedgeshaped portions, the under faces of which are notched as designated by 93 for the accommodation of the upper ends of the posts 8l.

To move the wedgeblocks 92 transversely Withgin the housing for the purpose of adjusting the positions of the posts Bl and the gauge plates 3, screws 94 are seated in the rear wall of hous- The forward edges of the walls to the sides of Y' this slot "33a are inclined upwardly and. rearwardly as designated by 'l5 to providelinclined bearings for the rollers 'l2 d uring a portion of the operation of the stretcher. YFormed on top ofthe block in the bottom ofthe slot `'13a is a lug l@ that provides a bearing 'forthe link 6 8 duringv a certainV portion of the travel of said Rigidly xed in wardlyfrcm thehead alongsideV the channel bars Erd-and the rear end portions ork these rods extend hroug'h short vertically disposed slots 'iii that are formed in lugs 7E, the same projecting outwardly from Fig. 3). l A V- Seated'in the upper portions of the lugs 1S with their lower ends bearing on top of the rods ,ll are screws or bolts Sii which provide meansor adjusting the vertical positions of therods 'll' in thejslcts 'i8 and thereby counteracting tendency of the head and parts carried thereby to skew lor tilt downward while under carpet stretching strains. c .Y

, Rigidly secured in the lower1 portion of the housing t2 of the head is a horizontally disposed plate Si ci wood Vor metal or1a combination thereof, said plate being secured to the top plate of the housing byY vertically 'disposed screws or bolts 82 and also beingvsecured Vto therear wall of the housing by screws 83. Seated in this plate are the-upper ends of a series of down'- wardlyV and forwardly projecting prongs Sd'that y areV adapted-to engage the carpet that is being stretched. p f

A gauge to regulate the distance that the prongs enter carpets of differentV thicknesses comprises a vertically disposed plate 85. that'is tioned between certain of the prongs.

' Secured to each narrow plate 8S are the vlower .ends of a pair of posts 8l Ywhichpassthrough apertures Si@ that are formed in the fixed plate Bl. Formed on the upper portions of these posts l 31 are nlanges or shoulders 89 and positioned against the under' sides thereof-are the upper Vends ofv expansive springs '50, .the lower ends of the latter resting. upon shoulders 9| that are the end portions of block t,- Vare the forward ends of rods Il thatproject rear `resides of channel bars 5E! (see ing 52 and the ends of the screws within the housing pass through slots 95 that are formed in ears lY and which latter depend from the corresponding ends of the Wedge blocks. Formed f on the screws 9F: en opposite sides of the ears 9S arefianges or Ashoulders gland thus as the screws Sli are rotated the wedge blocks are correspondingly moved transversely within the housing. Y y Y The carpet stretcher described is particularly ldesigned for stretching relatively heavy carpets .and when used the stretcher is positioned on top or" the carpet withtheblock on the outer end ci' the telescoping rods bearing against the wall or base board on one side of the room and with hehead or the stretcher positioned on the carpet adjacent the ed'geopposite the edge that has been tacked or secured to the floor.

When handle is swung upwardly and forwardly, the action of` thelinks 6B and IS draws thehead comprising the housing 62 and 'parts therein rearwardly upon the forward portions of the iframe members and while in such rearward position the prongs on the under side of the head are engaged in the carpet after which the handle is swung rearwardly and downwardly into through the links moves the head a short dist! and such provision together with the position of the pivots 6l and 1| below center with respect .to theV fulcrum 54 and pivot 69, will maintain the handle in its lowered position and with the headY at its forward limit of movement.

' When'pthe handle lis subsequently swung upward and forward to retract the head in order to impart a second stretch to the carpet, link 68 will fulcrum on the lug 55, and as the rear end of said link swings upward the'forward end thereof that is connected to link '"i will swing downward so that the rollers 'i2 will engage against Vand ride up the inclined surfaces lion the walls of block '53, thus minimizing friction of the engaging parts while the stretcher is in action. Block i3 carrying the fulcrurn lug iii and the inclined surfaces l5 may be adjusted longitudinally of the frame of the stretcher and secured in such adjusted positioniby tightening the set screw 14.

To adjust the vertical position of the gauge comprising the plates 85 and 8S, the screws S4 are actuated so as to move the wedge blocks trans- `v'ersely ofthe housing 52 and if said blocks are moved forwardly from the positions they occupy in Fig. 12, the posts 8l will be moved downward against the resistance offered by the springs Sti -v and corresponding downward movementV will be 'I'he wedge-shaped portions ofthe iblocks 92 are provided on their under faces with a plurality of notches 93 in order that the gauge plates may be adjusted into different positions with respect to the bottom of the head and thus the length of the eective portions lof the prongs may be adjusted for carpets of different thicknesses. v Thus it will be seen that I have provided a carpet stretcherv that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended. 1

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved carpet stretcher, may be` made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, .theV scope of which is set forth in the appended claims. l

I claimas my invention:

1. In a carpet stretcher, an extensible member, a frame on the forward portion of said extensible member, a 'housing on the forward end of said member, a prong carrying plate positioned within said housing, a handle fulcrummed on said frame, links pvotally connected to and arranged between said handle and said housing and a block adjustably arranged within said frame and providing a fulcrum for one of said links.

2. A carpet stretcher as set forth in claim 1,

with the upper forward portion of said block provided with inclined surfaces and anti-friction rollers carried by said links for engaging the inclined surfaces of said block during a portion of the carpet stretching action of said stretcher.

3.`A carpetstretcher as set forth in claim l, with a vertically arranged, curved surface on the rear portion of said frame and a roller car ried by said handle for bearing against said curved surface during the final portion of `the movement of said handle toward said frame and extensible member;

4. A carpet stretcher as set forth in claim l .and with adjustable means between said frame and said housing for counteracting the tendency of the latter to tilt downwardly during the carpet stretching function. l

5. In a carpet stretcher, the combination with an extensible member, of a housing on the forward end of said member, a prong carryingv member secured in the lower portion of said housing, a guard arranged for sliding movement Withinand below said housing and means arranged within the housing and operable from the exterior thereof for moving said guard down- Wardly to regulate the effective length of Athe prongs carried by said member.

6. In a' carpet stretcher,V the combination as set forth in claim 5 and with means for yieldingly resisting downward movement of said guard.

7. In acarpet stretcher, the combination with an extensible member, of Va housing on the forward end .of said member,` a prong carrying member secured in the lower portion of said housing, a guard arranged for sliding movement within .and below said housing and means mounted for operation within said housing and operable from the exterior thereof for moving said guard downwardly into different pre-deter mined horizontal planes with respect to the bottom of the housing for regulating the effective length of the prongs carried by said member.

JUSTIN D. BARTLOW. 

